Ilex plant named ‘Casanova’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ilex  plant named ‘Casanova’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green and pale yellow bi-colored foliage; dark red-colored stems; red-colored flower buds; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Ilex meserveae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Casanova’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ilex, botanically known as Ilex meserveae, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Casanova’.

The new Ilex is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Ilex meserveae cultivar Blue Prince, not patented. The new Ilex was discovered and selected by the Inventors from with a population of plants of the cultivar Blue Prince in a controlled environment in Westerstede, Germany in 1993.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ilex by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Bad Zwischenahn, Germany since 1994 has shown that the unique features of this new Ilex are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Ilex has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Casanova’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Casanova’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Ilex:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green and pale yellow bi-colored foliage.     -   4. Dark red-colored stems.     -   5. Red-colored flower buds.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ilex differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Blue Prince, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex are slower-growing than plants of the         cultivar Blue Prince.     -   2. Plants of the new Ilex have green and pale yellow bi-colored         foliage whereas plants of the cultivar Blue Prince have dark         green-colored foliage.

Plants of the new Ilex can be compared to the plants of the Ilex meserveae cultivar Blue Angel, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Ilex differed from plants of the cultivar Blue Angel in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex were more compact than and not as         upright as plants of the cultivar Blue Angel.     -   2. Plants of the new Ilex had green and pale yellow bi-colored         foliage whereas plants of the cultivar Blue Angel had         green-colored foliage.     -   3. Plants of the new Ilex did not produce berries whereas plants         of the cultivar Blue Angel produced red-colored berries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ilex. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Ilex.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Casanova’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘Casanova’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flower buds and flowers of ‘Casanova’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Boskoop, The Netherlands in 19-cm containers, in an outdoor nursery during the winter and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 1° C. to 12° C. and night temperatures ranged from −5° C. to 5° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about five years old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ilex meserveae ‘Casanova’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Ilex meserveae     cultivar Blue Prince, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months at temperatures of 20° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three             months at temperatures of 15° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;             upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; globular to             broadly inverted triangle. Low vigor.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about three primary             lateral branches and about 46 secondary lateral branches             developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 37 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 41 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 11.3 cm. Diameter:             About 3.5 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, young stems:             N186C. Color, mature stems: 176B to 176C; axial stripes,             176D.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 3.7 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic to ovate.             Apex: Sharply apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Spinose,             about seven spines on each side. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; thick             and leathery. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:             Center, 147A; random blotches, 189A and 145C; margins, 150D.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Center, 147C; margins,             between 150D and 4C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Center, 147A; random blotches, 189A and 191A; margins,             between 150D and 4C; venation, 144A; spine apices, 200A.             Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Center, 147B; random             blotches, 147C and 148C; margins, 154D; venation, 148A,             towards the base, N186C. Petiole: Length: About 5 mm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Between             175A and 176A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Single cruciform flowers             arranged in axillary compound cymes. Freely flowering habit;             about 15,000 flowers develop per plant during the flowering             period.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Ilex typically             flower during the early spring in The Netherlands. Flowers             not persistent.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Very faint; sweet, pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: 184A to 184B; towards the base, 155B             to 155D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single cruciform flower form; single             whorl of four petals fused at the base. Length: About 3 mm.             Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic to orbicular.             Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: 184C to 184D; towards the base, 155D.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 184A to 184B;             towards the base, 155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Four fused in a single whorl; calyx,             campanulate. Length: About 1.7 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Broadly acute. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Immature, upper and             lower surfaces: 176B to 176B. Mature, upper and lower             surfaces: 176B to 176C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 30° from lateral branch axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 175A and 176A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 90° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 155A and 157D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Reniform.             Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther color: 4D. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8B. Gynoecium: No female             reproductive structures observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ilex have been observed to     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain and wind.     Plants of the new Ilex are hardy to USDA Zone 6 and tolerate high     temperatures up to 35° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ilex. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ilex plant named ‘Casanova’ as illustrated and described. 